US ‘Ill-Equipped’ to Handle Nuclear Escalation with China: Experts
Aug. 9, 2024 | By Unshin Lee Harpley
The U.S. is currently “ill-equipped” to manage nuclear escalation scenarios in the Indo-Pacific with China, both in the current security environment and in a potential conflict, experts argue in a new report.
Andrew Metrick, Philip Sheers, and Stacie Pettyjohn from the Center for a New American Study authored the research report, funded by the Pentagon’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/us-nuclear-escalation-china-experts/“The United States is currently ill-equipped in its concepts and capabilities to manage escalation risks in the emerging Indo-Pacific era,” the authors write in the report. “Relying on submarines and dual-capable fighters and bombers for signaling and employment, the U.S. may encounter issues related to platform vulnerability, signaling visibility, and conventional warfighting.”
Tensions in the region remain high—China is building up its nuclear arsenal at a rapid rate and continues to claim it will take Taiwan by force if necessary.
